Antique Wheel Guns

This is a discussion on Antique Wheel Guns within the Defensive Carry Guns forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Have been known to carry these on occasion. And no they are not antiques.
Model 19, 10, 60, 40 and Detective Special.
Model_19_R.JPG Mod_10_R.JPG M-60R.JPG ...

Sure! I Carry at times either a Colt Detective or its alloy twin Colt Cobra 38, both from early 60s, neither shot much when I got them, police guns, probably like yours, holster marks but little shot. These older revolvers were better in many opinions than contemporary: hands on work in the "old days". Both of mine shoot 6, the Detective thought by many experts to be the quintessential snub - highly accurate, easy to shoot, sweet, sweet trigger as all Colts have. (Ever shoot the renowned Colt Python 357 Mag? I have one: like a knife in warm butter, the trigger: a 357 Mag but completely comfortable to shoot):

Colt Python:(light area on grip is photo, not the grip)

Colt Cobra 38 (Detective looks exactly the same)

Plus those 60s/70s revolvers are beautiful, why not Carry them? One last thing: they will scare the you-know-what out of a perp looking down the barrel of one of those big ones. Likely you'll see dust and one fast running-away BG! I'd have them first checked by a smith to make sure they're OK if sitting around for years or something like that. Otherwise, clean 'em up, bit of oil and hit the streets (the range first of course).

The only concern I'd have is that firing pin on the hammer. Heard horror stories of those
guns going off if dropped with the hammer over a round in the cylinder. Made a five shot
out of a six shooter with the hammer down on an empty cylinder.

One ( just one ) of my regrets is having inherited two old Iver-Johnsons ( Owls Head ),
a blued .32 and a nickel plated .36 get away from me. A Chief aboard ship wanted an
HD gun for his wife while we were away and I sold the .36 hammer-less to him. I think
I got $25 for it. Too old to remember what happened to the .32. They both came out
of Gramp-paws saloon and I can imagine there were some tales that went with them.

Barrel length and grip design

One of the two guns you show is a 4 inch S&W model 19 with large target grips. You could carry this concealed, but it would be a lot easier with the same gun in 2.5 inch barrel and round butt grips, as shown below. The 4 inch barrel and large size grips are harder to conceal. I have often carried the snubby model 19 below, and it is easy to conceal because of its short, rounded contours.

I have a 1950 Colt .38 Police Positive Special. My uncle owned a pawn shop in Houston and bought it new. He carried it for 40 years and probably never shot it. My cousin (his oldest son) took over the shop and the gun. He carried for about another 10 years. I bought it about 10 years ago from him when he retired. I don't know if he ever shot it. I have put a total of 2 rounds through it since then just to see if it worked.

I am going to clean it up, oil it and take it to the range. I bought 200 rounds at Wally World. I want about 200 more so I can take my 14 yo grandson with me so he can shoot for his first time.

Absolutely! And since bmcgilvray is away on travel, I'll add a proxy vote for him as well.

Looks like a Ruger Security Six and a S&W Model 19? Or is the S&W an N-frame? The designs may not be new, but those are very rugged and reliable guns which fire a proven round, the .357 magnum.

I had to go back and look. Your right, it does say Security Six on the frame of the gun, however it also appears to have the fixed channel sights. To my knowledge the Service and Speed Six were fixed sights and the Security Six was adjustable sights. I've never seen a Security Six with the channel sights.

To the OP. If in fact it does say Security Six and has fixed sights. Call Ruger with the serial number. Spend a few bucks and get the history of the gun. You may have a gun that is worth some money to a Ruger collector.

The only concern I'd have is that firing pin on the hammer. Heard horror stories of those
guns going off if dropped with the hammer over a round in the cylinder. Made a five shot
out of a six shooter with the hammer down on an empty cylinder.

One ( just one ) of my regrets is having inherited two old Iver-Johnsons ( Owls Head ),
a blued .32 and a nickel plated .36 get away from me. A Chief aboard ship wanted an
HD gun for his wife while we were away and I sold the .36 hammer-less to him. I think
I got $25 for it. Too old to remember what happened to the .32. They both came out
of Gramp-paws saloon and I can imagine there were some tales that went with them.

My Avatar is the real deal !

No, you must be thinking of a Colt SA which, to keep to original specs, has no transfer bar. But any double action revolver will have had for decades and decades either a transfer-bar safety or hammer-block safety, either of which keep a block between the hammer and the round's primer. Only while pulling the trigger is it released so the firing pin can make contact with the primer. Soon as you fire, block goes back into place.

No, you must be thinking of a Colt SA which, to keep to original specs, has no transfer bar. But any double action revolver will have had for decades and decades either a transfer-bar safety or hammer-block safety, either of which keep a block between the hammer and the round's primer. Only while pulling the trigger is it released so the firing pin can make contact with the primer. Soon as you fire, block goes back into place.

The early model (three screw) Ruger SA revolvers were designed the same way, the firing pin rested on the primer under the hammer. After Ruger was raped in a lawsuit brought by an individual who dropped a revolver with all six chambers loaded and it discharged and shot him in the leg Ruger redesigned them to include the transfer bar and re-designated them the New Model (two pin).

I carry either a Colt Cobra(1965) or a Colt Agent(1969). My truck gun is a Smith Model 10 2"(1970) and my house guns are a Smith Model 66(1980) and a Smith Model 60(1973). Are you calling me an antique?!!!

The police are not there to protect you from crime, they are there to arrest the guy after the crime has been committed, assuming they find him. It is your responsibility to protect yourself and your family.